Intel to launch Clarkdale early?

Rumour has it that Intel is accelerating its preparations for desktop processors based around a 32 nanometre process, according to “sources from motherboard makers.”

The un-named sources, quoted by DigiTimes, claim that Intel will start mass-production of desktop processors based around its 32 nanometre process – codenamed Clarkdale – in the final quarter of this year, rather than the first quarter of next year as was originally planned.

Figures obtained by DigiTimes claim that ten percent of Intel's overall OEM desktop processor output will be in the form of 32nm Clarkdale chips – rising to 20 percent in the first quarter of 2010. This contrasts with Intel's 45nm chips, which will make up 78 percent of the company's OEM desktop processors in the first quarter of 2010 – with 65nm Pentium E2000 and Celeron 400 processors making up the remaining 2 percent, aimed that the budget-conscious.

Intel, for its part, has neither confirmed nor denied any change to its publicised schedule for the release of 32nm parts, stating instead that it was unable to comment on as-yet unannounced products or production schedules.

As yet, it is unknown if the 32nm based Clarkdale chips due to be released at the end of the year – if the rumours are true – are the ones we heard about at the start of the year which feature an improved version of the embedded graphics processor found as part of the company's G45 chipset, or whether the initial run will be made available as a CPU-only package.

Tempted by some 32nm goodness, or are you awaiting on clock speeds and official specifications from Intel before you make up your mind? Share your thoughts over in the forums.